Crytek wants to use real-world street map data for game environments

Crytek has challenged software makers, pushing them to create a program that would use open source street map data in order to render in-game world environments, which would save countless man hours creating the worlds we all play games in.

The concept is now in use at the IC tomorrow's digital innovation games content, which offers up to £25,000 to five businesses to create an innovative applications that meets certain objectives, provided by big companies including Google, Sony, Intel and Crytek. Crytek's Technical Director of R&D, Jake Turner, said: "Why do we have to use people to make a city when there's consistent open source street data out there which is very detailed, it's got buildings, lights, it's got streets - material data. Why can't we just press a button and instantly see that?"